The most helpful favourable review

The most helpful critical review

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 starsGreat book
I used this book at the beginning of the school year to get my special ed students to write about what was important to them or about why the things in the book are important. They all loved the activity and it was one of their favorite picks for reading time.

Published on July 24 2002

2.0 out of 5 starsGreat author - mediocre book
This short volume has failed to spark much interest within me and my children. It lacks the poetic lilt of "Goodnight Moon" and the quiet force of "Runaway Bunny." The illustrations, many in black and white, seem from another era. Yet, they are not timeless and fail to inspire.Brown's muddled characterization of the essence of everyday objects...

I used this book at the beginning of the school year to get my special ed students to write about what was important to them or about why the things in the book are important. They all loved the activity and it was one of their favorite picks for reading time.

I use this book at a "getting to know you" starter for the 1st day of school. After reading the book, the students start to see the pattern. I then have them write something about themselves using the same pattern in the book. "The most important thing about Sue is that she likes to read. Sue has 3 cats, plays soccer and can pitch like Nolan Ryan, but the most important thing about Sue is that she likes to read." I then have them illustrate these things on manilla paper or with the computer, then bind all of the pages into a class book. The kids love getting to know each other this way.

This thoughtfull Brown book methodically affirms a small child's growing ability to construct opinions about his or her world. Misunderstood as asserting objective classifications, Brown instead elaborates on the ellusive season of child development when subjective and objective information are indistinguishable:"the important thing about a daisy is that it is white" and air is "the color of air".Recommended if you want the child in your life to catch Brown's vision of personal discovery.

We use this selection to teach the concept of the main idea. I start the entire year off using this book. I read the book aloud to the students.We discuss each aspect of the important or the main idea of each subject.After completing the book we then write a page about ourselves. Example: The important thing about Ellis is that he is a toehead,he loves computer games , he plays with his trucks and he always wears Carharts,but the important thing about Ellis is that he is a toehead. Ellis is a student that has the whitest hair you have ever seen...everyone always says something to him about his "toehead". The children (usually third graders) each do their own page and we publish our book for the classroom. We try to have this completed by our open house. The parents really enjoy it and they get to know their childs classmates in a special way. Just a thought!

This short volume has failed to spark much interest within me and my children. It lacks the poetic lilt of "Goodnight Moon" and the quiet force of "Runaway Bunny." The illustrations, many in black and white, seem from another era. Yet, they are not timeless and fail to inspire.Brown's muddled characterization of the essence of everyday objects seems neither accurate nor absurd, neither artistic nor banal. Why, for example, are we told that the important thing about a shoe is that "you put your foot in it" when so many more relevant characteristics could have been chosen? (protects your foot from harm, keeps your foot warm, makes a fashion statement, leaves footprints, gets mud on the carpet, etc.)

I recently used "The Important Book" in a grade 3 classroom and the results were fantastic. After reading the book and having students figure out the writing pattern used by the author, I had students create their own Important Book based on any people/places/things of their choice. Kids that normally refuse to even write a sentence wrote 3 pages!! Even weeks after the activity, I still had students asking me if they could write another page to include in their book! It is great for developing students' descriptive and organizational writing skills in a structured yet free way. I love, love, love this book and cannot wait to use it again!

Teachers, you can use the pattern used in this book to encourage your students to write. Check for understanding of concepts in your class by having student use the pattern. For example:The important thing about economics is that it teaches us to be good decision makers.It teaches us about goods and services. It teaches us about being a good consumer. It teaches us about opportunity cost. BUT...the important thing about economics is that it teaches us to be good decision makers. (They are writing definitions and don't even know it!)

This is a book I discovered when looking for patterned language books for my elementary remedial reading and writing students. I created a list of Important Words from The Important Book, a vocabulary list! We also brainstormed other nouns that would fit in the categories with the important things. We then wrote our own versions of the book with the students selecting an item brainstormed for each corresponding page. This book has helped facilitate IMPORTANT learning experiences!!! It is ageless and timeless. A true treasure!!!!!

This is a truly timeless book. Published 50 years ago, it still rings true. My own children loved it and we played games echoing it on journeys in the car. In my classroom I use it often to set up reponses in English, math, social studies and science. It always serves to spark animated conversations.

5.0 out of 5 starsExcellent Book even for fifth graders!!, Sept. 1 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Important Book (Paperback)

This book is an excellent study tool for any teacher. The format of the book gives students a perfect model in how to write a good paragraph. Eventhough it is basic, students grasp the idea of the difference between a topic sentence and a paragraph's supporting sentences.